iOS Simulator Skill
An IOS Simulator Skill for ClaudeCode. Use it to optimise Claude's ability to build, run and interact with your apps. I mainly use it as an xcodebuild wrapper to save context.
What is iOS Simulator Skill?
iOS Simulator Skill is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to ios simulator skill for claudecode. use it to optimise claude's ability to build, run and interact with your apps. i mainly use it as an xcodebuild wrapper to save context.
An IOS Simulator Skill for ClaudeCode. Use it to optimise Claude's ability to build, run and interact with your apps. I mainly use it as an xcodebuild wrapper to save context.
This server falls under the Developer Tools category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- An IOS Simulator Skill for ClaudeCode. Use it to optimise Cl
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
Manual Installation
npx ios-simulator-skillConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use iOS Simulator Skill
The iOS Simulator Skill is a Claude Code agent skill that wraps xcodebuild and xcrun simctl commands into 27 production-ready scripts, giving Claude the ability to build, run, test, and interact with iOS apps entirely through natural language. It covers the full simulator lifecycle from booting and app installation through UI navigation, accessibility audits, and Core Data inspection — drastically reducing the token cost of repeating raw xcodebuild invocations in conversations. Mac developers building iOS apps with Claude Code gain a structured, context-efficient interface to the iOS Simulator without writing custom shell scripts.
Prerequisites
- macOS with Xcode and Xcode Command Line Tools installed
- Claude Code CLI installed and configured
- Python 3.10+ (scripts are Python-based)
- At least one iOS Simulator runtime downloaded via Xcode
- An active Xcode project to build and test
Install via Claude Code plugin marketplace
Add the iOS Simulator Skill directly from the Claude Code plugin marketplace. This is the recommended installation path as it handles path setup automatically.
/plugin marketplace add conorluddy/ios-simulator-skill
/plugin install ios-simulator-skill@conorluddyOr clone manually into Claude skills directory
Alternatively, clone the repository into your Claude Code skills directory if you prefer manual installation or want to modify the scripts.
git clone https://github.com/conorluddy/ios-simulator-skill.git ~/.claude/skills/ios-simulator-skillVerify Xcode toolchain is accessible
Confirm that xcodebuild and xcrun are on your PATH and that your Xcode license has been accepted, as the skill delegates to these tools.
xcodebuild -version
xcrun simctl list devicesConfigure optional environment variables
Tune operational limits via environment variables if defaults don't suit your project. For example, extend boot timeout for slow CI machines or increase the element limit for dense UI screens.
export IOS_SIM_BOOT_TIMEOUT=600
export IOS_SIM_MAX_ELEMENTS=50
export IOS_SIM_BUILD_TIMEOUT=1800
export IOS_SIM_TAP_SETTLE_MS=500Start a Claude Code session in your project
Open a Claude Code session in your iOS project directory. The skill will be automatically available and Claude can now build, run, and interact with your app using the installed scripts.
cd /path/to/your/ios-project
claudeiOS Simulator Skill Examples
Client configuration
This skill integrates with Claude Code directly via the plugin system rather than a traditional MCP JSON config block. Install via the plugin command shown above.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ios-simulator-skill": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["ios-simulator-skill"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example Claude Code prompts that leverage the iOS Simulator Skill's 27 scripts for building, testing, and interacting with your app.
- "Build the app in debug mode and boot it in the iPhone 16 simulator"
- "Run the unit test suite and show me any failures"
- "Find the Login button on screen and tap it"
- "Run a WCAG accessibility audit on the current screen"
- "Switch the simulator to dark mode and take a screenshot"Troubleshooting iOS Simulator Skill
Build fails with 'xcodebuild: error: SDK not found'
Run 'sudo xcode-select --switch /Applications/Xcode.app' to point the command line tools at the full Xcode installation rather than the standalone CLI tools package.
Simulator never finishes booting (timeout error)
Increase IOS_SIM_BOOT_TIMEOUT to 600 or more. Also try resetting the simulator with 'xcrun simctl erase all' if the device image is corrupted.
UI element discovery returns zero tappable elements
The default IOS_SIM_MAX_ELEMENTS is 25. If the screen has no visible interactive elements, ensure the app has finished loading. Increase the limit with IOS_SIM_MAX_ELEMENTS=100 for dense layouts.
Frequently Asked Questions about iOS Simulator Skill
What is iOS Simulator Skill?
iOS Simulator Skill is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that ios simulator skill for claudecode. use it to optimise claude's ability to build, run and interact with your apps. i mainly use it as an xcodebuild wrapper to save context. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install iOS Simulator Skill?
Follow the installation instructions on the iOS Simulator Skill GitHub repository. Clone the repo, install dependencies, and add the server config to your AI client.
Which AI clients work with iOS Simulator Skill?
iOS Simulator Skill works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is iOS Simulator Skill free to use?
Yes, iOS Simulator Skill is open source and available under the MIT license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up iOS Simulator Skill in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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